Concerto
by Mikuro Kurayami
Summary: Asuka and Shinji get in trouble and their punishment is to perform in a Talent show and the cleaning of the classroom for a week.
1. Of dreams and talent shows

Concerto: Kurayami-chan Absolute_terror@email.com

Disclaimer: *eerie music* Oh-kay! The characters aren't mine; they're by the wonderful Hideaki Anno-sama and GAINAX…yadda, yadda, yadda! The song Asuka sings is 'Thanatos-If I can't be yours' in case anyone was wondering.

Chapter 1: Of dreams and talent shows 

Shinji played the Cello in this huge music hall. The tunes flew smoothly in the air as he closed his eyes and felt the music seep into his soul. When he finished playing, he stood up and bowed. The audience gave him a standing ovation; among them were his mother and father, Misato and Kaji, Rei, Hikari, Touji and Kensuke. He glanced happily at them as they continued to clap.

'Something or Someone's missing…' he thought and scanned the audience.

Suddenly he bolted up. The sun was streaming across the room and lit the whole place. Shinji yawned and decided to get breakfast done.

Pen-Pen greeted him with a happy squawk as he arrived in the kitchen.

"Ohayo!" he bet down and patted him in the head, then turned to see Asuka wearing an apron right in front of him.

"The early bird woke up late huh?" she asked sneering.

Shinji decided to ignore her and simply muttered his greeting "Ohayo Asuka, what's for breakfast?"

Asuka frowned "And why ask me THAT?! You're the cook not me!"

"And why the apron?"

"Oh…well… WHAT DO YOU CARE ANYWAY?!?"

"Tsk, tsk…early in the morning and you two sound like you're already married" Misato entered the room and laughed at her own joke as the two glared at her. "Ehrm… so Asuka, what's cooking?"

"I AM NOT COOKING!!!" She insisted

"And why the apron?" Misato asked dryly pointing at the said apron.

Shinji walked over the stove and saw some pancakes almost burned. He switched of the stove and placed them on a plate.

"Well? EAT!!" Asuka yelled and stormed out the kitchen.

Misato shook her head "I wonder what goes in that head of hers anyway?"

Shinji shrugged and started eating. "Mmm…these need a little more sugar…"

"Oh shi-! I left my wallet at home" Asuka screeched to halt and slapped her forehead with her palm. She grabbed Shinji's wrist and dragged him back.

"Itai! But we'll be late for school" Shinji complained, using all his strength to escape the clutches of the red head.

"Then we'll BE late!" she shot him a smirk and continued across the street. "If I'm gonna be late, I'm taking YOU with me!"

'Why me…' Shinji mourned internally.

They waited for the walk sign to flash.

"You should thank me ya' know…"Asuka started bragging.

"Thank you for what? Breakfast?" Shinji muttered scowling. Asuka didn't seem to hear the remark and continued talking. The light changed and they started to speed off again.

"…We're going at top speed. Your speed is nothing compared to mine you worm "  
"Woo-pee" Shinji muttered full of sarcasm and started running again.

"Ohayo! Where are Shinji and Asuka?" Hikari asked Touji in the classroom.

"Huh? Beats me!" He shrugged then turned to Kensuke and talked about something else.

"Oh…" Hikari stared at him then left. 'I wonder where they are'

Shinji waited for Asuka to come out of the apartment. While he was outside, several German curses were heard from inside. Finally, Asuka put on her shoes and came out. Without saying a word, Asuka grabbed Shinji's hand and started tugging again.

"ITAI!!" Shinji winced in pain.

"Stop complaining THIRD CHILD!!" Asuka snapped back at him. "$^&*%^$!!!!"

"STAND UP! BOW, SIT DOWN!"

"The second impact happened in Antarctica while…." The old geezer for a teacher began his ramblings to the classroom window.

Touji was bored. Bored as in really bored. He glanced at the two empty chairs where Shinji and Asuka sat. Sighing, he put up his legs on the table and started to whistle. Seconds later, a note flashed in his monitor.

_'Put down your legs Suzahara!' _

"Sheesh!" Touji quickly obeyed. Seconds later, another note came. 

_'Suzahara, do you know what happened to Shinji and Asuka?' _

_ 'Nope' _

Suddenly another note appeared in the screen. 

_"Ooohh… what are you two lovebirds talking about?' _

Touji grew crimson. He started his reply.

_'Shut up!' _

_ 'Suzahara!!!' _

"Oops…" Touji glanced nervously at Hikari looked at him dejectedly.

_ 'Gomen nasai, I was talking to Kensuke' _

_ 'Ok, be careful next time' _

'What the hell did she mean by that?' he thought.

"OW! You're hurting me"

"Hurry up, you IDIOT!" 

Suddenly a loud thud was heard from outside. Seconds later, the door opened and two bodies sprawled on the floor. Asuka was on top lying on Shinji's head, skirt raised up a little, while Shinji's hand was on Asuka's legs.

"AAAAGGGHHHH… SHINJI WA HENTAI!!!!!!!"

*SLAP*

The whole class burst out laughing uproariously, Touji laughing the loudest.

"Quiet!" Hikari tried to settle the class down but they didn't seem to hear.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!!!!"

The whole class grew quiet. The teacher stared at Asuka and Shinji sternly. "Miss Langley and Mr. Ikari, for disrupting the class and coming in late…"

Asuka and Shinji gulped as they waited for their sentence.

"…You'll have to perform for the school's talent show two weeks from now. Plus, you'll have to clean the classroom everyday starting this day until the talent show."

"Clean?" Asuka peeped

"E-eve-ry d-day?" Shinji stammered.

"Just the two of us?" Both asked in unison.

"Just the both of you" The teacher affirmed "And get back to your seats before I get any madder."

"YES SIR!" Both bolted to their seats and sat as quietly as mice.


	2. Of violinists and Rei

Chapter 2: Of Violinists and Rei 

"Hump! This is all YOUR fault" Asuka muttered later at dismissal time. She was wiping the blackboard clean. Her stokes were swift and fierce hinting her anger.

"How is this my fault?!" Shinji cried indignantly. He squeezed the rug he was holding and wiped the floor with gentle strokes, foam forming over the places he wiped.

"You run TOO slow!"

"I do not!"

"DO TO!"

"DO NOT!"

The two shut up and continued wiping and wiping. The sun cast shadows in the classroom as the two moved about.

Suddenly Asuka stopped wiping, "Hey Shinji!"

"Yeah?"

"What do we do on the talent show?"

"I dunno, what can we do anyway?"

Asuka thought for a moment. She dumped her rug in the broom closet and help Shinji on the floor.

"Well…" he asked glancing at her.

"Well, what?" she stared at him and asked.

"Maybe we can act a play or something," Shinji suggested

"IDIOT! How many plays have only TWO cast in it huh?" Asuka said mockingly

"Do you have a better idea?" he asked quietly.

"Yes I do, BAKA! You play the Cello right?" She asked

"I jam a little…" Shinji admitted. He got his bag and started to walk beside Asuka. The setting sun cast playful shadows of the two as they walked home.

"Little or not you still play…Well maybe we do a little Concerto…." Her voice trailed off and she stared in front of her thoughtfully.

Shinji stared at her for a moment. Asuka was silhouetted at the setting sun behind her and she looked quite…stunning.

"What are you staring at!?" Asuka's angry voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Maybe… Misato keeps her old tapes, we… can… get some ideas there" Shinji suggested to change the topic.

"And while were at it, let's get some snacks! C'mon!!!" Asuka grabbed his hand and both ran to the grocery store.

"Wow Shinji, the room's spotless" Kensuke adjusted his glasses and observed the floor of the room 2-A the next day. It was still a little too early for classes to start so the gang was just hanging around.

"You should get punished more often" Touji joked and he laughed.

"Really funny," Shinji replied dryly and glanced at Asuka who was humming the tune of Fly me to the moon.

"Which reminds me, what are you gonna present for the school concert?" Touji asked.

"Ha! It's a surprise" Asuka gave him an evil grin. "We're gonna present the BEST performance in the concert, ALL those performing would be blown away in a tornado!"

"You're pretty confident about it" Hikari walked beside her.

"You bet!" She smiled at her.

"But that third year guy Murasaki Tetsuya's gonna perform too"

Asuka's smile faded. Shinji, Kensuke and Touji's mouth dropped open.

"Mu-Murasaki Tetsuya?!?" They all exclaimed in unison.

"Uh hu, I heard him brag to his classmates when I passed their classroom" Hikari told them "He said that whoever gets to have the best performance and please the teachers would have some additional points in the exams and receive a high award from the Principal herself."

"I could use some of those additional points," Shinji said.

"And my talent needs to be recognized" Asuka agreed.

Touji and Kensuke rolled their eyes behind her.

"Well do your best then" Hikari said then walked on to check the other students.

Asuka was following behind her.

"No matter what happens, well to in your side Shinji, right Kensuke?" Touji said

"YEAH!" Kensuke agreed nodding.

"WHAT?!?! 'WONDER GIRL' WILL PERFORM IN THE CONCERT!?!?!?" Asuka exploded in shock "HER!?! AS IN REI AYANAMI THE LITTLE…"

"Yes, the commander requested her to join you two" Misato told her that night" She needs to boost her grades if she wants to continue studying."

"Oh great!" Asuka whined exaggeratedly "First I get partnered with the 'wonderful' Shinji-sama, then the stupid Tetsuya joins and now THIS!!!" she went ballistic and started swearing in German.

"Seriously Asuka, I think it would be fun" Shinji agreed with Misato.

"FUN?! You CALL that FUN!?" She gave him a glare as cold as liquid nitrogen.

"It would be really boring if we were the only ones presenting" he explained.

Asuka gritted her teeth "You only want WONDER GIRL to be your partner, not me"

"At least she's nicer" he replied

"N-Nicer?!" Asuka repeated the words repeating and repeating in her head. She lowered her head and she started quivering.

"A-Are you c-crying Asuka??" Shinji asked worriedly. He couldn't imagine her cry at all.

Asuka looked up smirking "Of course not you MEGA-DORK!! I'm tired, nobody disturb me okay?"

"Sure Asuka" Misato replied stuffing herself with stew "Mmmm… Shinji-kun this is GOOD!!"

Asuka did a fake yawn and walked to her room. Shinji looked down and saw that the carpet has teardrops marked on them.

Asuka remained sitting on her desk for the rest of the evening just staring into nothingness.

"At least she's nicer…" Asuka heard Shinji's voice repeat in her head over and over again.

"Shut up!" she yelled internally.

"At least I'm nicer…" she heard Rei said in her head

"Shit, why don't you two just shut up OK?" she yelled aloud and laid her head on the desk in front of her.

She started singing a few lines of the song she was supposed to sing in the concert "Cause every breath that I take, I breathe it for you. I couldn't face my life without you. And I'm so afraid. There's nothing to comfort us. What am I, if I can't be yours…"

And soon Asuka drifted off to sleep. 


	3. Of Rei's apartment and Bathrooms

Chapter3: Of Rei's apartment and Bathrooms 

"And we have to practice here?" Asuka asked Misato dryly. They were climbing up the stairs going to Rei's apartment. Shinji was behind them carrying his Cello.

"I don't mind practicing here but isn't there a loud construction going on beside this building?" Shinji asked

"I know that but this is where the commander told me to let you practice" Misato explained sweat dropping.

"I don't hear any construction," Asuka pointed out flatly.

"Hey yeah… I guess they're done" Misato shrugged

"Here's Ayanami's floor" Shinji told them

"Well, you guys will be fine right?" Misato grinned at them "Now get this show on the road and I'll be back by four OK?"

"Yes Misato" Asuka and Shinji sighed and continued to walk to Rei's apartment.

"Remember guys don't start another fight and Ja ne!"

"Hi Rei" Shinji greeted when Rei opened the door and let them in. He gave her a warm smile. Rei tried to do the same.

"Hn" Asuka grunted and followed.

"Wow, this place was a lot cleaner that it was last time I was here" Shinji mused to himself. The floor was neatly swept and the garbage bags were gone. Rei's underwear drawer was now closed and there were no clothes left for drying in the room. There were no used bandages scattered around anymore.

"Che, its too empty and boring" Asuka grumbled to herself and slumped on Rei's bed and crossed her long slender legs "Hey first! Do you have any juice?"

"Juice?" she repeated then shook her head

"What do you drink then? Or what do you serve your guests?"

"Guests? I don't have any guests" she replied, " I drink water"

"Don't worry Asuka, I brought some soft drinks for us" Shinji chuckled, "do you mind if I place them in the refrigerator?" he asked Rei

"No"

"Oh well, I'll cool these first" he headed for the kitchen

"Hey first, this place is boring" Asuka told Rei trying to make a conversation

"…."

"What do you do for fun?" she asked then lay on the bed

"Fun?" Rei inquired

"Yeah, like do you watch TV or read a book?"

"I talk with Commander Ikari"

"Eh??" Asuka bolted up and stared at her in surprise "That big block of ice cube talks with you? Now I've seen everything."

"You have?" Rei asked, now she was staring at her with a little hint of surprise in her face.

"It's just an expression," Asuka explained chuckling "Speaking of ice, hey Shinji are you done there?"

"Yeah, just a second" Shinji replied back at her. "I have to arrange the cooler so everything would fit"

"So what do you talk about with big 'ol Commander?" Asuka pretended to ask.

"About Shinji…" Rei replied

"WHHHHATTTTT?!?!?!" Asuka's eyes were as wide as saucers. She sat up and gawked at Rei like she turned into Lilith. Rei stared at her in return.

"Are you pulling my leg?"

"No"

"Are you… what kind of Shinji stuff do you talk about?"

"We talk about his grades in school and how he performs as an Eva pilot"

Asuka blinked cluelessly.

"Bet you like Shinji, you little doll!" Asuka sneered in a challenging voice.

"I am not a doll" Rei replied, her cheeks turning pink. She was obviously embarrassed.

"Bet you do! Bet you do!"

"Do you want me to?" Rei asked

"Of course not!!! Why the hell would I do that?" Asuka replied outraged.

Rei remained unflappable. "You like him."

"What?! That scrawny little worm?!? Why in the whole world would I do that?!"

"You do like him"

"Like who?" Shinji asked walking in.

"Uh, nobody!" Asuka tried to cover up what they were talking about. "Just play along…"

Asuka hissed at Rei.

"You do like him" Rei said low enough for Shinji not to hear.

"Anyway, we should start practicing already" Asuka told them dutifully, trying to change the subject.

"Yeah, Rei what instrument are you playing?" Shinji asked

"Violin" Rei replied deadpan

"Oh goody, I play the violin too, how quaint" Asuka rolled her eyes in disgust.

"Asuka, lay off her just today OK?" Shinji told her "I'm tired of this 'picking on someone' thing."

"What?!" Asuka was about to explode when Rei said, "She likes you."

"Uhhh… Rei and I have something to talk about…" Asuka dragged Rei into the bathroom.

"What the hell was that for?!" Asuka hissed at Rei when they got in.

"Nothing" Rei told her emphatically

"If you don't shut up, I'll slit your throat!!!" she threatened challenging the other girl.

Rei glowered at Asuka in the same manner.

They stood silently there for a few seconds until Asuka threw her hands in the air out of hatred.

"Okay, Okay, just hush, hush about it, got it?"

Rei nodded and went out of the bathroom.

Asuka sighed in relief and glanced at the mirror. She saw her cheeks flush crimson.

"Rei, do you think you know how to play this song?" Shinji asked as soon as he saw her got out.

Rei went closer and took the pieces of paper Shinji was handing her. She scanned them briefly and said her affirmation. She got her violin from her closet and sat across Shinji who was on the bed.

Both were starting to play the song when Asuka left the bathroom. "Heeeeyyy!!! You were supposed to start it with me!!!" Asuka snapped at Shinji.

"I'm just trying to find out if Rei can play," He explained the-matter-of-factly.

Asuka just grunted and sat beside him.

When they finished playing Shinji began to ask Asuka. "What took you so long in the bathroom?"

Asuka began to snap "It's none of your…"

"…Business" Rei finished for her.

Shinji glanced to Rei and Asuka astonished.

"It's not proper to ask that question" Rei admonished, or at least she was trying to.

"Gomen nasai"

"You better be!" Asuka replied snottily. "And quit stalling!!!! I have to practice my singing too you know"

"Hai," Shinji rolled his eyes behind her back. 


End file.
